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labellementeuseI am horrified and revolted by the letters in today's paper. Just... god, I knew people like that existed but I try to avoid thinking about it and these were in your face. I desperately need to make a reply to each of them but I don't think the papers would take it so...
In order to understand the following rant, if you wish to, you need to know that...
... John Tamihere, a member of the Government (who I support- the Gvt, not John-), is one of those politicians who is sometimes perfect and sometimes terrible. But just recently he went off the deep end in a sort of shady magazine, referring to his colleagues in the government variously and creatively as queers, butches, smarmy, etc etc etc. Rather revolting all told. He also made reference to what is known in certain circles as the "lesbian cabal"- referring to the fact that most of the top governmental positions in this country are run by women, some people (mostly men and idiotic women like Rosemary McCloud. Die, die, bitch) assume that of course they must be lesbian, because any woman who, you know, has an important job simply MUST be "a dyke." Gah.
Anyway, these letters are in response to his comments and the furore that arose after they were published. I picked the two that horrified me and the sensible one- so there were others in there but they were pretty bogged down in NZA politics so wouldn't make a lot of sense anyway. No names are attached because gah.
A Straight Answer, Please
I note with interest Prime Minister Helen Clark's response- "I have been happily married for 23 years"- to being questioned about her sexuality.
Instead of a confirmation or a denial, she cleverly changes the subject by making a statement of fact that does not necessarily answer the question.
An unequivocal and straight answer is in order as the public has a right to understand the motives behind the radical social engineering that this Labour government has undertaken over the last 5 1/2 years.
Dear Sir,
Firstly, what a clever title to your letter- obviously you much admire petty witticisms, to go with the petty content and tone of your letter.
Secondly, and relating to your content, it seems to me you have missed the point entirely. Surely what is important is not the sexuality of our Prime Minister but the fact that she has been married for a number of years and has never succumbed to the temptation of an extra marital affair, or divorcing and trading the legal spouse for a younger model. The leader of the Opposition, however... well, let's not go into that, shall we?
Lastly, fool, if the Prime Minister were lesbian do you think she would have been happily married?
Fuck off and die.
Love,
Me.
GAH GAH GAH. *so annoyed* This, frankly, is a dumb and irrelevant rumour helped along by the undeniable fact that Helen looks and talks like a man. Which, wierdly enough, doesn't make her lesbian- but people seem to have serious issues grasping that fact.
Tamihere Should Go
Labour MP John Tamihere has shown by his extraordinary outburst that he has neither the temperament nor the politics to serve in a parliament of the 21st century and certainly not within the Labour Party.
By his own admission, he is incapable of representing the interests of women, Maori, gays or working people, whether men or women. He should go.
Dear Madam,
Thank you for being the only sensible correspondant in a paper full of idiots. Many, many thanks for leaving me some vestige of faith.
Love
Me.
A Disruptive Influence
A nation's social wellbeing is measured not by the degree of individual freedom to do what one pleases, but by the degree of harmony engendered by equitable social policies that encourage the populace to go about their daily lives with a feeling of self-worth and achievement.
Society today is encouraged to be self-centered and do what its members want with little or no regard for acceptable social norms.
Labour MP John Tamihere has recognised the disruptive influence the Labour coalition has had on society and finally voiced those concerns.
If anyone needs concrete evidence of the way such self-centered ideology can destory the fabirc of society, they need look no further than the Roman Empire. Society today is plagued by any of the very attributes that led to its demise.
These include apathy, bureaucracy, complacency, degeneration of intellect, excessive aging of population, homosexuality, creeping inflation, lack of qualified workers, moral decline, pacifism, political correctness and interference, rise in secular society and usurpation of powers by the state.
Dear Sir,
You horrify me. I simply have no words for how sickened I am by this piece of invective you call a letter. I almost find myself unable to comment but aware as I am that this merely suits your own purpose, I must ask you a few questions.
The Roman Empire also encouraged slavery, denied the vote to women, engaged in the barbaric Circus, and so forth. Strangely you do not mention these as factors in its downfall- nor the gluttony that they practiced. Were they then not a problem in the Roman Empire? Was the size of the Roman Empire and lack of effective leadership not, then, a problem? What prrof, in other words, have you that it is the things you suggest that caused its downfall, rather than the things I suggest?
Also, if the Government is doing what its constituents want- surely a part of democracy, although perhaps you would prefer a theocracy?- how can it then have "no regard for... social norms"? I think that social norms are represented by the feelings of the constituents. Rather, I suggest, the Government is acting counter to your own, personal, private idea of an "acceptable social norm", one not shared by the rest of the country or government- thank god.
No love.none.
me.
Yeah, I saved the worst for last. I feel ill now.
In order to understand the following rant, if you wish to, you need to know that...
... John Tamihere, a member of the Government (who I support- the Gvt, not John-), is one of those politicians who is sometimes perfect and sometimes terrible. But just recently he went off the deep end in a sort of shady magazine, referring to his colleagues in the government variously and creatively as queers, butches, smarmy, etc etc etc. Rather revolting all told. He also made reference to what is known in certain circles as the "lesbian cabal"- referring to the fact that most of the top governmental positions in this country are run by women, some people (mostly men and idiotic women like Rosemary McCloud. Die, die, bitch) assume that of course they must be lesbian, because any woman who, you know, has an important job simply MUST be "a dyke." Gah.
Anyway, these letters are in response to his comments and the furore that arose after they were published. I picked the two that horrified me and the sensible one- so there were others in there but they were pretty bogged down in NZA politics so wouldn't make a lot of sense anyway. No names are attached because gah.
A Straight Answer, Please
I note with interest Prime Minister Helen Clark's response- "I have been happily married for 23 years"- to being questioned about her sexuality.
Instead of a confirmation or a denial, she cleverly changes the subject by making a statement of fact that does not necessarily answer the question.
An unequivocal and straight answer is in order as the public has a right to understand the motives behind the radical social engineering that this Labour government has undertaken over the last 5 1/2 years.
Dear Sir,
Firstly, what a clever title to your letter- obviously you much admire petty witticisms, to go with the petty content and tone of your letter.
Secondly, and relating to your content, it seems to me you have missed the point entirely. Surely what is important is not the sexuality of our Prime Minister but the fact that she has been married for a number of years and has never succumbed to the temptation of an extra marital affair, or divorcing and trading the legal spouse for a younger model. The leader of the Opposition, however... well, let's not go into that, shall we?
Lastly, fool, if the Prime Minister were lesbian do you think she would have been happily married?
Fuck off and die.
Love,
Me.
GAH GAH GAH. *so annoyed* This, frankly, is a dumb and irrelevant rumour helped along by the undeniable fact that Helen looks and talks like a man. Which, wierdly enough, doesn't make her lesbian- but people seem to have serious issues grasping that fact.
Tamihere Should Go
Labour MP John Tamihere has shown by his extraordinary outburst that he has neither the temperament nor the politics to serve in a parliament of the 21st century and certainly not within the Labour Party.
By his own admission, he is incapable of representing the interests of women, Maori, gays or working people, whether men or women. He should go.
Dear Madam,
Thank you for being the only sensible correspondant in a paper full of idiots. Many, many thanks for leaving me some vestige of faith.
Love
Me.
A Disruptive Influence
A nation's social wellbeing is measured not by the degree of individual freedom to do what one pleases, but by the degree of harmony engendered by equitable social policies that encourage the populace to go about their daily lives with a feeling of self-worth and achievement.
Society today is encouraged to be self-centered and do what its members want with little or no regard for acceptable social norms.
Labour MP John Tamihere has recognised the disruptive influence the Labour coalition has had on society and finally voiced those concerns.
If anyone needs concrete evidence of the way such self-centered ideology can destory the fabirc of society, they need look no further than the Roman Empire. Society today is plagued by any of the very attributes that led to its demise.
These include apathy, bureaucracy, complacency, degeneration of intellect, excessive aging of population, homosexuality, creeping inflation, lack of qualified workers, moral decline, pacifism, political correctness and interference, rise in secular society and usurpation of powers by the state.
Dear Sir,
You horrify me. I simply have no words for how sickened I am by this piece of invective you call a letter. I almost find myself unable to comment but aware as I am that this merely suits your own purpose, I must ask you a few questions.
The Roman Empire also encouraged slavery, denied the vote to women, engaged in the barbaric Circus, and so forth. Strangely you do not mention these as factors in its downfall- nor the gluttony that they practiced. Were they then not a problem in the Roman Empire? Was the size of the Roman Empire and lack of effective leadership not, then, a problem? What prrof, in other words, have you that it is the things you suggest that caused its downfall, rather than the things I suggest?
Also, if the Government is doing what its constituents want- surely a part of democracy, although perhaps you would prefer a theocracy?- how can it then have "no regard for... social norms"? I think that social norms are represented by the feelings of the constituents. Rather, I suggest, the Government is acting counter to your own, personal, private idea of an "acceptable social norm", one not shared by the rest of the country or government- thank god.
No love.none.
me.
Yeah, I saved the worst for last. I feel ill now.
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Classics Student.
Date: 2005-04-07 10:55 pm (UTC)Ah, this should be good...
These include apathy,
I'm wondering how this has been measured. Maybe they mean the way the Romans realsied they should stop because if they tried to hold too much they couldn't hold it all.
Clearly our pushing the boundaries of space, exploring the entire world, fighting to understand the world around is is lazy and shouldn't be tolerated.
Or maybe it's the fact that we are all lazy lazy bums on the dole, with our low unemployment rate being a sign of... um... hmmm...
bureaucracy,
Well I've got to agree there, the more layers of bureacracy that creep in the more difficult governence can become.
complacency,
I think this is related to the apathy? WE are happy with what we have which is why so much is changing?
degeneration of intellect,
More university students, more literacy, more skilled people. How on earth do they see this in our society?
I think the only way this affected Rome was in that they conquered more and more peoples who weren't as advanced as them so the population included lower levels.
excessive aging of population,
?!
Quick, kill the elderly!
How the fuck does this letter writer think people being ABLE TO LIVE is a bad thing!? I can see how they might see it as a burden but fu-u-u-uck.
homosexuality,
Yes, those nasty Romans with their homosexual ways falling a mighty empire... Waitaminute. Sex had nothing to do with their empire failing, the barbarians invaded and the Romans were too spread out.
And Alexander conquered the known world.
And the Greeks were seen as a pinancle to aspire too.
creeping inflation,
Not an expert on economics, even classical economics...
lack of qualified workers,
Again, we have plenty of people working but more jobs than people. I wonder what this person does? And how they suggest we solve such a problem. By briubing people to take certain training? Seems a bit socialist doesn't it?
moral decline,
Absolutely no way of measuring this. We don't wage war on countries because they are a different religion or simply where we would like to be. I'd say that's good morals. Also we listen to everybody in society and give people a chance. Seems like good morals again.
pacifism,
Because War is the true sign of empire.
political correctness and interference,
I'm never sure what people mean by this sort of phrase...
rise in secular society and
I really don't see that in Ancient Rome... Seeing how the later Emperors enforced Christianity it kinda works against a lot of the inherent implications here.
usurpation of powers by the state.
What!?
What powers did the Anceint Roman government NOT claim? Being God-Emperor means everyhting you say is law. This jsut boggles me.
--
It's one thing to claim these things are bad for us. It's quite another to claim that they caused the Fall of the Roman Emprie....
I still don't know what to think of Mr. Tamihere (is that right?) as I haven't seen the original articles or seen much reporting on it.
However, people are stupid. Individuals can be clever...
Re: Classics Student.
Date: 2005-04-07 11:24 pm (UTC)Yeah, you finally spelled it right. ;) It's not a difficult word, even...
As for what to think of him, I haven't read it but I found some fairly revolting excerpts from the article on the NZ Herald website, I think. >:(